Today's exclusive interview is with Mystery Thriller Week 2017 participant and author Christina Hoag, Christina lives in Los Angeles the setitng of her most recent novel, Skin of Tattoos, a Noir thriller which was published in ebook and paperback formats in August of 2016. Here's a blurb about the book: Los Angeles homeboy Magdaleno is paroled from prison after serving time on a gun possession frameup by a rival, Rico, who takes over as gang shotcaller in Mags’s absence. Mags promises himself and his Salvadoran immigrant family a fresh start, but he can’t find either the decent job or the respect he craves from his parents and his firefighter brother, who look at him as a disappointment. Moreover, Rico, under pressure to earn money to free the Cyco Lokos’ jailed top leader and eager to exert his authority over his rival-turned-underling, isn’t about to let Mags get out of his reach. Ultimately, Mags’s desire for revenge and respect pushes him to make a decision that ensnares him in a world seeded with deceit and betrayal, where the only escape from rules that carry a heavy price for transgression is sacrifice of everything – and everyone - he loves. Tell us something about the book that the blurb doesn’t reveal: There’s a coming-of-age theme in a key subplot involving Mags’s fractured relationship with his family, which also colors his personality and motivations. Mags is resentful of his over achieving older brother Frank, he’s desperate for his distant alcoholic dad’s approval and his mother’s attention, and he’s very protective of his younger sisters. I loved writing about his family life, and it was very satisfying to see Mags grow and resolve his conflicted feelings toward his family at the end. What was your favorite review about the book? Why? “None of the characters seem hastily constructed or come off as clichés. Their pressures and motivations are clearly stated and genuinely felt, and readers will quickly become invested in Mags and his confrontation with an uncertain future” -- Kirkus Reviews. I really felt validated with this part of the review because I put enormous time into sculpting these characters and I fell in love with all of them, even Rico, the baddie. I really felt them so I was enormously glad that came through. If given a chance, which author (living or dead) would you like to meet (have met) and why? I think it would be William Shakespeare. I’m a Shakespeare nut. Last summer I saw eight of his plays! I find it astounding how many of our expressions in English come from his works. I’d love to ask him about his creative process, his philosophy of life and human nature, and try to figure out the source of his marvellous, timeless wisdom, plus if he’s surprised how his works have endured for 400 years. If your book was made into a movie, who would you cast as which characters? For Rico, I like an actor named Richard Cabral (American Crime Story), who was an L.A. gang member in real life so he’s already tatted up; he has a very intense, edgy look. I’d cast either Benicio del Toro or Demian Bichir as Pops, Mags’ father, and wholesome-looking Benito Martinez as the parole officer, Angel. I’m not sure who would play Mags. The actor has to have the right balance of wholesomeness and edginess. I’d shoot the movie on location in Los Angeles. Maybe Kurt Sutter, who created the hit FX motorcycle gang show “Sons of Anarchy” would like to direct. When and why did you decide to become a writer: I won a prize for “writing interesting stories” when I was six years old so I guess writing was always there. It came out as soon as I literally learned how to put pen to paper. I also was a total bookworm as a kid and I wanted to write books when I grew up. When I discovered journalism in high school, I knew that’s what I wanted to do because it was a writing career. I’ve written fiction on and off my whole life. What gave you the idea to write this book? I was sent to El Salvador back in 2000 to do a magazine story on gang members deported from Los Angeles to San Salvador, which most of them really didn’t know because their families had emigrated when they were infants. It was a classic “fish out of water” story. They neither belonged in El Salvador or in the United States. Some barely spoke Spanish. It’s really a strange take on the immigrant experience. Their story resonated with me. I could relate to them because I had moved around the world as a child, so I also feel I don’t really belong anywhere. Although my novel is not about deported gang members; it’s the tale of rival homeboys in L.A., the book was inspired by those interviews in El Salvador. What is your favorite quote from the book and why? I have a few but here’s one of them: “Fighting’s the only time when I really feel something, you know, the pain. When I hurt, I know I’m really alive. Feel me?” One of the homies, Tweety, says this in response to Mags asking him why he likes boxing so much. It shows that in the gang world there’s a lot of emotional trauma that drives gang members, pain that they manage by numbing themselves like zombies. Tweety is so inured to his emotional hurt that the only way he can break out of his automaton state is by getting physically hurt. It’s a warped mentality in a bleak existence. Are you traditionally published or self-published and why? I prefer to go with a traditional publisher because it’s third-party validation of my work. It means somebody has read my book and deemed it worthy of publication. That says something right there. On the other hand, anyone can self-publish anything, which means a lot of subpar stuff is out there. That makes it that much harder for self-pubbed books to get noticed, especially if you’re a debut author. However, for authors with an established following, I think self-publishing is a very attractive option. You keep all your profits, all your rights and all your control! It does mean you have to handle a lot more of the business side, though. Do you belong to any writer’s groups? Which ones and how have they helped you? I’ve found Sisters in Crime to be the best of the bunch. SinC has regional meetings and events, which are great to meet other writers, as well as several very active listservs where you can post any kind of query. They have groups for new writers where you can find a critique group. They also promote members’ individual works through tweets and newsletters. There’s a real spirit of camaraderie. Last but not least, their dues are modest. I highly recommend this group, which men can join, too, by the way! What advice do you have for other writers based on your experience? Believe in yourself and that you have something to say. That’s the greatest gift you can give yourself. No matter how many rejections you get, as long as you believe in yourself, you’ll have the strength to keep going. Where can readers find you? www.christinahoag.com https://facebook.com/ChristinaHoagAuthor https://twitter.com/ChristinaHoag https://instagram.com/ChristinaHoagAuthor https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7341116.Christina_Hoag Christina was kind enough to share an excerpt of her novel, Skin of Tattoos, below. Warning: Mature Language
“Ay yo, homes!” A familiar voice sliced through the bustle. “Mags!” I twirled faster than a ballet dancer, my stomach clenching. Fuck. It was him. Rico. Slashing across the street aiming the shopping bag in his hand at me. His baggy shorts slung so low the waistband of his boxers showed. Socks, white as fluorescent light, pulled neatly to his knees. Ink flowing out of the arms and neck of his plaid shirt. Exactly how he looked the last time I saw him. The memory of that day bore down on me. We were kicking it at a street corner, and Rico was bragging about how he shot a trey-eight into the ceiling of a liquor store he was jacking, and the storeowner pissed his pants. As he was talking, he took the .38 out of his waistband in a live re-enactment, and I just had to take the piece, feeling its cold weight in my hand for just a second or two before handing it back to Rico. That second or two cost me twenty-six months of my freedom. Rico threw his arm around me. A thick gold chain shone around his neck. I had a cord with an orange arrow slung around mine. “Ese.” My voice had as much life as a three-day-old soda. I never knew if he dropped that thirty-eight by accident, as he said, or if he saw his chance to set me up. I kinda figured the latter. Someday, somehow, I’d get him to admit the truth to me. “I thought that was you. But I said to myself, ‘Mags, in that fuckin pendejada? Couldn’t be.’ But I looked again and simón, it was. Whatup with this shit?” He flicked the red nose ball. I caught his wrist in midair and stared him down in his swamp eyes. “Easy, fool,” he said. I dropped his wrist. “Just making a few bones.” “I heard you was back. We been waiting for you at the garaje, but you ain’t showed up.” Rico drilled my eyes. “You avoiding your homies or what?” The ball was itching my nose like an oversized mosquito bite. “I got parole and all that. I just wanted to get set up first.” “I figured you needed a couple days to get readjusted, get some pussy.” He shook his head. “But damn, this shit?” He shook his head. “You ready to get crazy again?” “Keeping it lo pro, Rico.” Rico studied me. I suddenly glimpsed myself in his eyes—I had become a small brown man. He brightened up. “Hey, I just had a kid. A boy. I’m buying some bottles and blankets and shit right now.” “Felicidades.” “With Maribel. But I got my side action, feel me?” “You were always real slick with the jainas.” I knew a little flattery would soften the rough edges of the meet. He smiled big. “Tell you what, loco, I’ll give you some lessons, make you real smooth.” “Yeah, I’m out of practice now.” I tried to laugh. “A lot of changes gone down in the barrio. We need to catch you up.” His arm hooked my neck in a chokehold. “You our firme homeboy, man, you’ll always be part of la familia. We need you, fool.” He squeezed a little too hard. “You come by the garaje. We got a jump in day after tomorrow. We’ll be waiting. We’ll hook you up again, then you can dump this shit.” He pointed his forefinger at me with a barbed wire smile. “Missed you, Mags.” I watched him vanish into the crowd of shoppers, and spat on the ground to get rid of the bad taste that had flooded my mouth. Copyright 2016 Christina Hoag. Reprinted with permission.
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Today exclusive interview is with author/Mystery Thriller Week participant Elena Hartwell. Elena lives in Seattle and her most recently published book is “One Dead, Two to Go.” This novel is available as a paperback, as an e-book/i-book (Kindle/Nook) and as an Audible audiobook. In this mystery, Private Investigator Edwina “Eddie Shoes” Schultz’s most recent job has her parked outside a seedy Bellingham hotel, photographing her quarry as he kisses his mistress goodbye. This is the last anyone will see of the woman … alive. Then her client disappears and Eddie finds herself knee-deep in dangerous company. Spurred on by her card-counting, poker-playing mother who has shown up on her doorstep fresh from the shenanigans that got her kicked out of Vegas, Eddie has to wonder, is her client the latest victim? Or the killer? Here’s what Elena told us about the book and about the writing life in general: Tell us something(s) about the book that the blurb doesn’t reveal: If Sue Grafton and James Rockford had a love child, it would be private investigator Eddie Shoes. Any Upcoming Promotions/Giveaways/Events We Should Know About? Currently, there is a Goodreads Giveaway, which runs through January 10. Plus, I have a blog tour starting January 23. You can visit my Events Page for more information: http://elenahartwell.blogspot.com/p/mystery-loves-company-book-tour.html What was your favorite or most surprising comment/review about the book? “Avid Alphabet series connoisseurs should flock to this kick-off series.” —Roberta Gordon for InD'Tale Magazine. I loved this review comment because Sue Grafton inspired me as a teenager, and continues to inspire me today. She showed the world that women can be private eyes and mystery novelists in a way that felt groundbreaking. Being compared to her and Janet Evanovich are two of my favorite comments. If given a chance, which author (living or dead) would you like to meet (have met) and why? Shakespeare. I’d like to know how he did what he did with language (he invented so many new words) how he produced the sheer volume of material he did, and how his life and writing career entwined. If your book was made into a movie, who would you cast as which characters? Charisma Carpenter for Eddie. She’s quirky and the right ethnic mix to play a Latina/Jew. For her mother Chava, I can picture Ellen Degeneres. Chava has to be funny. What is the main conflict in your book? Secondary conflicts? On the surface, it’s about a private investigator chasing a killer. Under the surface, it’s about a woman learning to relate to her mother as an adult and deal with her feelings of responsibility to others. Eddie has to learn where she draws the line regardless of loyalty. What tidbits did you leave out of the book? I left out much of Eddie’s backstory, especially her relationship with her mentor, who committed suicide. More of those details will come out over the course of the series. One thing I’m learning in working on a series is how to have arcs for individual books and across multiple books. What are you working on next and when do you expect it to be on the shelves? Two Heads Are Deader Than One, April 15, 2017. Are you traditionally published or self-published and why? I’m published with Camel Press. I’m happy to be traditionally published. My publisher has the ability to get me reviewed in places that aren’t available to self-published authors. I can also be carried in any library or bookstore, which sometimes won’t carry self-published authors. I have fantastic editors and staff to handle cover designs, postcards, and other marketing materials. What former author training/writing have you had, if any? I have worked in the theater as a playwright for over twenty years. What conferences have you attended and what value have you found in attending conferences, if any? I love conferences. I have attended several. It’s a great way to get yourself and your books in front of readers and network with other authors. My favorite is ThrillerFest, put on by International Thriller Writers (they include mysteries, not just thrillers). They have a terrific program for debut authors, which supported me during my first year as an author. I’m currently the Debut Author Program Chair, so I’m thrilled to be able to pay that support forward to the class coming in behind me. Elena was kind enough to share an excerpt from "One Dead, Two to Go" below: The loud pounding shouldn’t have come as a surprise. After all, the police weren’t used to people slamming doors in their faces, and that’s who I’d just locked out of my office. “Eddie? What the—? Open the door.” Chance Parker’s voice hadn’t changed. It was still low, but carried a weight to it like every word he spoke mattered. I leaned against the glass with the hope my heart wouldn’t leap out of my chest and splatter on the ground at my, or worse yet his, feet. The next rap was a knuckle on the glass, instead of the wood frame of the door. The sharp sound of it pulled me out of my panic, and I wrenched the door back open. Just like ripping off a bandage, best to get it over with quick. “Sorry about that. I thought I heard the phone ring,” I said, my response inexplicable even to myself. The woman with Chance looked at me like I might be certifiable; he just looked amused. I’m not sure which expression annoyed me more. “Mind if we come in? We have a few questions for you,” Chance said, though it was clear he wasn’t going to take no for an answer. The “we” included Detective Kate Jarek, who introduced herself and said, “I understand you two know each other.” “We do,” I said, looking to Chance to see if he planned to fill me in on what he’d told her about our history. Chance rubbed the side of his cheek as if checking for stubble. It was an action I remembered well—an unconscious gesture he made when he didn’t know exactly how he wanted to respond. Chance was careful with his words, as if they were valuable and he might accidentally drop one he couldn’t afford to lose. “Down in Seattle,” he said. His eyes held mine, and for an instant I thought he might say more. Something was there in the softness of his gaze, but that brief moment of connection passed and he glossed over a complicated relationship with that single sentence. I told myself he couldn’t do anything else. Even if it might have felt good to hear he forgave me, now wasn’t the time. Maybe we could see each other again soon. Alone. And I could find a way to make amends. “Come on in,” I said, standing aside to let the two of them through the door. I shut it behind them, taking a deep breath before I turned around to face them. Chance began to pace, his nervous energy filling the room. From the way he averted his gaze from the two of us, I could tell his mind was now focused solely on whatever brought him to my door. I respected that about him. His attention would be directed at you for a moment—intense, all consuming—then he’d turn outward again, as his work took precedence. Chance was taller than Kate by at least six inches. I could look him in the eye if I were wearing tall shoes, so he stood just over six feet. His hair was brown, but if we were outside, sunlight would glint off red highlights. His eyes were the color of dark chocolate—that satiny look it took on when you melted it on the stove to make some delicious, fattening dessert you knew you shouldn’t eat but couldn’t help yourself from making. “What can I do for you?” I asked, curious about why a Seattle detective—and my old flame—had appeared on my doorstep up here in Bellingham. “We’ve got some questions about Deirdre Fox,” Kate said. That certainly threw me for a loop. I don’t know what I thought they might question me about, but Deirdre Fox wasn’t even in the top ten. Copyright 2016 Elena Hartwell, Camel Press Today’s exclusive interview is with A. K. Smith, who splits her time between Arizona and Mexico. Her most recently published book is “A Deep Thing,” a novel of suspense and conspiracy that’s was released in both print and as an e-book on 12/19/2016. Here’s the blurb: What was her husband hiding in the jungles of Mexico? Rocked by her husband's tragic death, Kendall Jackson strives to put her life back together. But Ryder, her nineteen-year-old stepson, is bitter and wants nothing to do with her. And she can't keep the grief at bay. Sometimes, it's so strong, she wonders if life is worth living. A call from a cave diver in Mexico gives her hope of mending the relationship with her stepson. Before his death, her husband arranged a diving expedition as a birthday gift for his son. Kendall persuades Ryder to honor his father's last wish. From the campus of Western Maryland College to the woods of Camp David and the caves of the Yucatán, Kendall and Ryder take a journey to discover what her husband worked so hard to hide, and to protect his treasured secrets from falling into the wrong hands. The choices they make will decide their fate and the future of others. Will they risk everything for the truth? We caught up with A.K and asked her about her novel and her writing life: What gave you the idea to write this book? My husband and I took a romantic trip to the Riviera Maya in the Yucatan and discovered cenotes. Cenotes are deep iridescent underwater caves with fresh water. Outside Puerto Morelos, Mexico there is a road called "Route De Cenotes.” We hired a taxi driver to take us to explore this natural wonder. We drove back-dirt roads, ending up in the dense jungle. We walked back to a beautiful hole in the ground. The water was luminescent, we were in awe of our surroundings. You can dive, snorkel and swim in these wonders of nature, and the setting was surreal. When we returned home, I couldn't stop thinking about the cenotes. Why had I never heard of them? Why were they so secret and on private land? What if? What was your favorite or most surprising comment/review about the book? A blogger wrote me a one line email. “Holy Crap, I couldn’t put it down.” It was one of my first reviewers and it surprised me and made me laugh, coming from a total stranger. It gave me confidence which every author needs for their debut novel. If your book was made into a movie, who would you cast as which characters? Kendall -Rachel McAdams; Ryder -Ellar Coltrane; Scout- Josh Holloway Any Upcoming Promotions/Giveaways/Events We Should Know About? Goodreads Giveaway, Library Things Giveaway and Mystery Thriller Week Giveaway. What other jobs have you held? Contract negotiator for Hospital, Physicians and Healthcare, College Adminstrator, Real Estate Broker, Travel Writer If given a chance, which author (living or dead) would you like to meet (have met)? Nicholas Sparks. I’m a little younger and would love to chat with him about his journey of being an author. Do you have pets? Harvey, my Whoodle (Wheaten Terrier/Poodle mix), is in the book. What are your favorite and least favorite aspects of publishing today? My favorite is technology, my book is in nie countries because of technology. My least favorite is marketing and trying to figure out what works. Are you traditionally published or self-published and why? Traditionally published. I self-published a travel book under the name of Anita Kaltenbaugh. For my fiction book, I wanted the experience of a publisher. What conferences have you attended and what value have you found in attending conferences? I pitched “A Deep Thing” at the Las Vegas Writers conference in 2015. A publisher requested my manuscript and three months later I signed a contract. They were the only publisher/agent to read my entire manuscript, so conferences are extremely valuable to me. If you were going to dabble in a different genre, what would it be and why? I’ve written a mature YA thriller, called Pseudocide. I would like to get an agent that specifically targets Young Adult. Today’s exclusive interview is with author Khristina Atkinson, who hails from Charleston, West Virginia. Her most recent novel is titled “Hopelessly, Completely, MADLY in Love,” a Historical Romance/Suspense, available in eBook with the paperback edition to be available soon. Sounds like my kind of novel, and what a terrific cover! Just read this: Lexi Donovan leaves home to visit her grandmother in Louisville when her crush, Cooper Grayson, returns to Bardstown, Kentucky. He immediately asks her father's permission to court her after she's already accepted an engagement ring from her best friend, Silas Reilly. Silas hasn't yet found the courage to speak with her father, Heath. He's a brawny man with a fiery temper, who's extremely protective of his only child. Lexi comes back to town with a new husband, Luke Weston, and is about to deliver the wonderful news he's going to be a father when a shot rings out. Is one of the men who claim to love her trying to murder her husband? Khristina has originally announced the price of the eBook would remain 99 cents only until Christmas, but now she’s decided to leave it reduced until the end of Mystery Thriller Week in mid-February so here’s your chance to snap up a copy! Here’s what Khristina had to say about the book and the writing life in general: What was your favorite or most surprising comment/review about the book? I haven’t had a lot of time for promoting. I have two sequels coming out in early 2017. After their completion, I’m going to slow down and devote more time to getting my books out into the world. I only have one review for this book so far. It’s special because of the 5 stars. “A story that leaves you hoping for love, wondering in suspense, and eager to turn the pages. Obsessive love story that's unpredictable. This story takes you to a different time frame and place, giving you an insight of love in the eighteen hundreds. Loved it and recommended read!” If given a chance, which author (living or dead) would you like to meet (have met) and why? William Shakespeare. I’d love to hear him read a passage from any of his great works. If your book was made into a movie, who would you cast as which characters? I already picture Chris Pine as Luke Weston in my head. Scarlett Johansson looks terrific with any color hair, so we’ll give her long, dark-auburn locks. I’ve been seeing a lot of Zac Efron in movies lately, so let’s put him in the role of Silas Reilly. I’ll darken Matt Boomer’s hair a bit, and he’ll be the perfect Cooper Grayson. I’ve loved Shia Labeouf since “Holes,” so he’s my choice for Jesse Dalton. When and why did you decide to become a writer: I’ve been writing poems and short stories since elementary school. I thoroughly enjoy expressing my ideas on paper, and now the computer. I have a vivid imagination, so about six years ago, I started jotting ideas down in an attempt for a full-length book. I ended up coming up with four stories that were all published this year. What other jobs have you held? I was the counselor at a college. All of the students who were receiving the grants from my department had to check in with me once a week. If they had a problem, I took on most tasks myself. I tutored them, helped them fill out financial aid forms, and typed them up resumes. They would sit at my desk and freely express details about their lives and relationships. Years later, I might recall one our sessions and add a fictional aspect to one of my storylines. Do you have pets? I have a cat that my sons named Charlene. In the spring of this year, my mom saw a bluebird attacking her, but she seemed to run and get away. She was lethargic one Saturday morning when we were leaving to take my youngest son to karate. After returning home, we couldn’t find her. She’s very spoiled and has a perch on our covered porch that she lays on during the day, like a queen. I call my mom “the cat whisperer.” She located Charlotte on Monday under a bush, and the poor cat couldn’t even walk. The bluebird had pecked her neck, and it had become infected. I had a really hard time getting the antibiotics down her, and she wouldn’t eat. I’d soak her cat food in water until it was basically mush and place it into her mouth. This went on for several weeks until she recovered. She killed numerous birds and placed them on our porch for nearly a month. We came home one evening, and she was posed on her perch. She reminded us all of Batman, leaning over top of a building, with her eyes glowing. I immediately mimicked words from the cartoon, “I am vengeance. I am the night. I am Batcat.” My sons loved the comparison. Are you traditionally published or self-published and why? I’m self-published, because it gives me the freedom to make my own choices. I don’t care about the money. The books are my personal expression. I want to decide how they’re represented to the public. I’ve done research on authors who have been traditionally published for many years with little money to show for their efforts, and who are now switching over to self-publishing. Do you belong to any writer’s groups? Which ones and how have they helped you? I belong to several on Facebook. I’ve been chosen to be featured on Writer’s Rave for the group Write of Passage, which encompasses and encourages all art forms. I had the opportunity to showcase some of my artwork (which I normally would never do), shorts stories, poems, and even a joke. The poets encouraged me to starts writing poems again, and I now have a book of poetry on Chanillo.com. A friend of mine started Indie Author Support group. We have writers from several different genres, who are always available for sharing their experiences and answering questions. The members freely express their failures and successes in topics such as marketing and reviews. They’ve taught me so much. If you were going to dabble in a different genre, what would it be and why? Paranormal. I’ve loved vampire shows and movies since as far back as I can remember. “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Charmed” are two shows on television that I watched every single episode. I have several ideas floating around in my brain for this genre. I want to write a book of short stories, so perhaps I can combine the two. Please join me in wishing Khristina great success with this book, its sequels, her poetry and any paranormal books she puts out in the future! And here's an excerpt from “Hopelessly, Completely, MADLY in Love," that she was kind enough to share with us, describing an interaction between Lexi and yet another admirer, Damon, who kidnaps her and forces her into marriage: Damon left early the next morning and informed Lexi that he would be gone most of the day. He’d made his expectations clear to her. She was going to be his wife, whether she wanted to or not, and responsible for the meals and care of their home. Lexi had taken to Bea after her mother died, and she had actually let the woman start teaching her how to prepare their meals. Being around another woman helped keep her mind off of her loss, but later she realized that she despised cooking. Lexi made Damon a list of items necessary for their meals during the week. Bea had a special recipe for a sauce that included mushrooms. She’d given Lexi detailed instructions on how to tell the poisonous variety from the ones she needed as an ingredient. Certain mushrooms could be deadly, and thanks to Bea she knew exactly what she required for her plan to work. She journeyed outside and began to search. The ground was damp from a recent rain, and she quickly found what she was looking for. She gathered the mushrooms she would eat, and also the kind that would take care of Damon. When she arrived back at the house, she went to work on the evening’s dinner. Damon returned early that afternoon with the supplies and a preacher. Lexi was afraid not to go along with him. The couple repeated their vows and were pronounced man and wife. While her new husband stepped out the front door to pay the good reverend, she was busy starting their meal. Damon came back inside the house and ordered her to postpone dinner until after she had performed her wifely duty. She sweetly reminded him that he was going to need his strength for the bedroom. She claimed to be starving and wouldn’t be pleasant company until she was properly fed. He gave in to her reasoning. Waiting an hour or so for his honeymoon night wouldn’t hurt his plans. Lexi made sure she gave Damon the plate that contained the poisonous mushrooms first. When he’d dug in, she sat down with her meal. He ate every bite and made a big deal about how the dish was delicious. Lexi ate slowly. She waited patiently for the mushrooms to take their effect. She prayed she would not end up having marital relations with the man. Lexi suggested they toast their new marriage. Damon concurred and opened a bottle of wine. She’d once vowed never to drink again, but was hoping alcohol would give her courage for what she concluded was going to be inevitable. The thought of being intimate with Damon was making her feel sick to her stomach. Two glasses of wine had gone down her throat by the time he finished his first drink. Damon had waited long enough and took Lexi’s hand to lead her into the bedroom. She laid back on the bed and closed her eyes tightly when he entered her. As his body pressed against hers, she was revolting. She wanted to scream for him to stop. Her suffering didn’t last long. A groan escaped his throat, and he stopped his movements. When Damon fell asleep, Lexi got up from the bed and stared at him. She had a sudden pang of regret. She wanted so badly to be reunited with Lucas, but another way must have been possible. Tears began to form in her eyes as the thought of taking this man’s life overwhelmed her mind. Visions of his lifeless, cold body replaced his now breathing form. She did not want to be a murderer. Copyright 2016 Khristina Atkinson. Reprinted with permission. Today’s Author Interview is with L.G. Fabbo-Gonnella, author of many books, most recently The Case of the Deadly Dish: A Mark Julian Vampire PI Mystery Book #8. Fabbo-Gonnella specializes in the Mystery, Detective, Erotic, Supernatural and MM genres and hails from the NYC area. His books are available via Kindle on Amazon.com. In The Case of the Deadly Dish: A Mark Julian Vampire PI Mystery Book #8, Mark is clearly a vampire who solves crimes for the supernatural community and governing council of NYC. He is aided by his partner a NYC detective and his feisty secretary who is a shape-shifting, sex demon who only dresses in styles from the 1940’s Here’s the blurb, to whet your appetite: New York City's supernatural community is ablaze with reports about an upcoming literary publication. An anonymous human, who claims they are intimately involved with a real-life vampire, has written a new tell-all book. The work threatens to publicly “out” New York City’s powerful vampires and “dish the dirt” on the goings on in their world. The entire vampire population is enraged. Many are demanding that the author be found and silenced. Some are also insisting that their collective safety requires that any human involved with a vampire be either executed or turned. Tortego insists this is a local matter, which he can solve without outside help. Jean-Claude, however, as head of the entire city's supernatural community thinks otherwise. Mark and his friends are called upon to join forces to find the author and stop the book from being published before things spiral out of control. As vampire attacks in the city increase, the crafty Tortego devises a scheme to destroy both Mark and Jean-Claude. When more violence erupts and murder is committed, it becomes, “The Case of the Deadly Dish." Tell us something(s) about the book that the blurb doesn’t reveal: Well in Mark Julian book the reader gets to see that characters, who usually stay on the side of justice, must sometimes enter into grey areas. The question is whether it is sometimes necessary to do a minor cruelty to prevent a greater one. What was your favorite or most surprising comment/review about the book? Why? A fan wrote the Julian books showed them beauty and cruelty can co- exist side by side. I never considered that as a theme in his books. It intrigued me. A reviewer said both my mystery series were also a love letter to my city of NY. I confess that is true. If your book was made into a movie, who would you cast as which characters? For Mark Julian it has to be the actor who is the face on the cover, Jacopo Rampini. He is not only super-talented but his look subtly changes in every role he does. Go find his actor page and check out his pictures then tell me if you agree What books influenced you growing up? Agatha Christie for mysteries and Alan E. Nourse in Sci-Fi. I’m sure everyone knows the former but the latter is sadly not as well known. I read his “Raiders from the Rings”& “The Blade Runner” and they opened my imagination. What gave you the idea to write this book? The Julian book was inspired by, what I feel, is a growing bigotry. A married couple, who are dear friends, once asked me “why are we never inspiration for characters in one of your books?” The Max et al book is my playful tip of the hat to them. What are you working on next and when do you expect it to be on the shelves? Book #9 in the Mark Julian mysteries comes out around December 24th. I was quite industrious and book #10 is out 2/14/17. When I finished #9 I realized there should be a follow up to show how good, necessary actions have consequences that hurt. If you’re curious Amazon has them listed and it comes with plot blurbs for each. #9: The Case of the Vengeful Virgin #10 : The case of the Parisian Vendetta Currently I’m in my research mode for both the next Julian and Max et all books. Since Julian has been a tad dark, this one will be a fun plot. He, as a vampire, once did a sex scene in a silent film with his fling of that era. Now someone found the film. He is in a panic and must retrieve it before his current and first real love sees it in some NYC revival. What are your favorite and least favorite aspects of publishing today? Publicity. I am quite shy about self-promoting. I do it. I know it’s necessary but I am ALWAYS self-conscious. Editing. Affording a good editor is a horror and beta readers are few and far between {I do ask on my pages for volunteers. Hint, hint haha.) I try my best and do use a editor I can afford. Then I pray my readers realize independent publications do carry the typo of grammar issue. What advice do you have for other writers based on your experience? Write. Write. Write. Do not let commenters discourage you. Read them of course & learn from them too. Do not be afraid to toss something out and begin all over again. Have an idea of plot but do not be so inflexible you will not stray from it as you write. I soon learned that my stories ended up in ways I had not thought about when I began. I always say I am not an author, just a scribe who takes dictation from my characters. Anything else you'd like to tell us? LOL. I was once asked, during a blog tour, what sex device I would buy in a sex shop. I replied “the one on sale”. Let me end on that note, haha. Here's what's going on:
1. I'm running a Kindle Countdown Promotion for Expired Listings. Price will be only $.99 from December 16-19 (but I'm not sure of the exact starting time!), and then $1.99 from December 20-13. 2. Expired Listings will be featured on Bookmovement.com and I'll be running a contest where the lucky winning Book Club will receive 12-15 free paperback copies of the book. I'm available for any book club discussion of Expired Listings, either in person or via Skype or Google Hangouts if I can figure out how that works (lol). 3. I will be reading at the Jefferson Market Library in NYC on January 18th as part of the Sisters in Crime Open Mic Series. 4. I will be participating in Mystery Thriller Week with a one hour discussion on Facebook on Feb 13 from 11am-Noon. Ask whatever and I'll try to answer. 5. I will soon be featuring interviews with some amazing authors so in the words of Rachel Maddow, watch this space. |
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